


Kids In The Dark

by heck_the_peck



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Davey's the father, F/F, Fluff, Gay, Les is Starlight's god father btw, Lesbian, M/M, Other, based off of All Time Low's song Kids In The Dark, basically a newsies gang au, but they're not together, i love Crutchie sm, idek if this will have an ending??, kath is pregnant???????, no seriously, oh boy this'll be fun, rest in peace Race, stupidly short chapters, suicidal Spot, that song is all i played for like an hour, the chapter names are songs from my Kids In The Dark playlist, there goes Elmer & Albert, this fic is the embodiment of Angst, this hurt to write, this is basically an ode to my love of sarah jacobs, welp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-05 21:17:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12802566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heck_the_peck/pseuds/heck_the_peck
Summary: David Jacobs wanted a normal life. Well, maybe he doesn't want that anymore. Honestly, he doesn't know what he wants anymore. All he knows is that he has crazy friends that are always on the run. The sad part is that he loves it so much. He loves the rush of running from whatever is chasing them. Usually, that's the police, sometimes other gangs, or maybe even each other. Now, he never wants to leave The Runaways. And a certain boy with a limp is making any thought of leaving even harder.Newsies gang au based off of All Time Low's song Kids In The Dark





	1. Hello, Brooklyn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aintweproudriff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aintweproudriff/gifts).



> me? writing something that i'm proud of? 
> 
> seriously though i really enjoyed writing this.
> 
>  
> 
> (also i want to thank @javidblue for being an amazing friend, and technical inspiration for this)

Sometimes Davey wondered how he ended up in such a chaotic group of friends.

Well,  if you could call the people he hung out with friends.

And then he remembered Sarah.

If they weren’t twins, you definitely wouldn’t have been able to tell that they were siblings. Davey thought about his words and actions, put caution behind what he would do and say. Sarah, however, seemed to do things without caution. Maybe she was crazy or something, but when Sarah wanted something, she would anything to get it. And that was something that Davey did admire. Davey deeply loved his sister, he wished to be like her even. 

Well, maybe not all the time.

He didn’t wish to be like her when she joined The Runaways.

Okay, maybe they weren’t The Runaways when she joined them.

Sarah made friends with crazy people in college.

First it was her roommate Katherine.

Katherine, herself, wasn’t bad. Davey really did like Katherine, it was Jack that was something else.

He first met Jack when he was invited to movie night at Sarah and Katherine’s dorm room.

“Okay, Davey, this is Jack,” Sarah pointed across the room from where she was on the couch, “That’s Crutchie, yes that’s actually his name, Race, Spot, Mush, Albert, Elmer, Romeo, Specs, Smalls, Blink, Henry, Sniper, Buttons, and Jojo.”

“Uh,” Like Davey would ever remember all of those names, “Hi?”

Jack chuckled, that name he remembered, “What’s that matter, ain’t you sure?”

The boy next to him snorted. Was he the one with the weird name? Heck, most of them had weird names. There’s no way that Davey would survive this.  
“To be honest with you,” Sarah spoke again from the couch, “He probably doesn’t remember half of your names.”

Davey scoffed, “Well Sarah, while that may be true, you don’t just say things like that.”

“Well,” Spoke the short boy who’s name Davey forgot, “You might want to get used to bein’ blunt.”

This was going to be a long night.


	2. If It Means a Lot to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The reason that we're in this mess is because we're broken."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so much planned for this story, you honestly don't even know.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, this takes place when they are The Runaways.

Fast breaths were heard rapidly as the running continued. Davey sent a silent prayer on the fact that Crutchie didn’t come with them this time. If Davey had to carry someone during this chase, he would have already been caught. It was a police night, which meant that they would have to change their place of staying again. Only if, of course, that they out ran the police. None of them could hear the police, but they kept running. They kept running as fast as they could. Because if they knew something, it was that the police never give up. They get better, come up with more ways to catch people. Well, unlucky for them, The Runaways never gave up either.

Their feet never stopped until they found their current place of living. They made it. Relief spread throughout all of their bodies rapidly as they quickly ducked under the fence and reached the others who didn’t join them that night.

There was something about this that Davey loved. There was something about this that all of them loved. Obviously, they did, otherwise they wouldn't be doing what they're doing. But nights like these were the ones that they hated. These were the nights where they had to move. That was something that Davey didn’t like about this. Just when they find a place they love, they have to move.

“Guys, are you okay?” Crutchie questioned as they piled in the room. He began examining them, not truly caring for their answer, because he knew.

“We,” Race wheezed, “We were chased by the cops.”

Everyone in the room grew silent. They all knew exactly what that meant.

Quickly, everyone in the room began packing up everything. This was something that all of them were experienced in. Well, when you’ve been on run from the police multiple times, you had to be experienced.

After everything was packed away, Jack took the driver's seat, the others piled into the truck into their respective seats, and they were gone. 

Davey and Crutchie were in the way-back.

“Did you get the food?” Crutchie mumbled desperately, “More importantly, did you get the medical supplies?”

Davey shook his head, “We only had half of the stuff we needed when the cops showed up. And when we were running, most of it got discarded.”

“Davey,” Crutchie sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, “Let’s face it, half of us are starved. The other half are sick, even if they don’t show it. Not to mention,” Crutchie dropped his voice to a whisper, “Katherine.”

Davey nodded sadly, “Charlie, I know. But you need to understand, if we got all the stuff we needed, we wouldn’t be here. And if we kept all of what we had, half of us wouldn’t be here.”

Crutchie grabbed Davey’s hands with his own, “But Davey, Katherine isn’t doing well. We’ve all known this for longer than we’d care to admit. We needed to do something. I’m not just going to sit here and watch one of my friends die.”

“She’s not going to die.”

“Davey,” Crutchie looked him dead in the eye, “Eventually, she will die. Whether we like it or not, she will. We all will. Davey, this life isn’t safe. We are always on the run, we never get enough food. Dave, we’re all dying. Maybe not physically, but you can see it in all of them. They’re tired. This was fun when we were young and dumb. It’s not fun now. We’re all suffering. Have you seen Jack? He’s broken. Have you seen Sarah, Dave, she’s broken too.”

Davey shook his head, more violently this time, “Charlie, we’ve always been like this. Don’t you realise? The reason that we’re in the mess that we are now is because we’re broken. No sane person would go through everything that we have. And just because we are all dying, doesn’t mean you have to point it out. We all know.”

They didn’t speak for the rest of the ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally didn't almost cry while writing this.
> 
> Definitely not.


	3. YOUTH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Davey realised, that he too, could be stupid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dramatic sigh* i love dutchie
> 
>  
> 
> also, i made a playlist for this fic!!
> 
> it has the songs that are the title names in it, so,
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/user/biggestfangirlever8/playlist/3XeqtR17j1YrhjRO1vWMH1

College kids, in fact, are very stupid, Davey realised. Not in their intellect, but in their actions. Of course, he only realised this at 2am on top of the school’s roof with drunken laughter surrounding him. Davey realised, that he too, could be stupid.

“Hey, Davey,” Jack slurred, “What do you think that we could do tonight?”

Davey snorted, his brain not functioning, “I dunno,” He laughed again, “We could do anything. We could break into a movie theatre, we could rob a bank, or we could just stay here like good children.”

Race laughed, his face in Spot’s neck, “We aren’t good children.”

“Fine,” Davey sighed, he flopped to the ground, “Go break the law, I don’t care.”

Crutchie stood up, “However, I do.”

Katherine whined from Sarah’s side, “You never let us do anything.”

Sarah joined in, “This is why most people don’t have two mom friends.”

Crutchie sat beside Davey, “We’re not mom friends,” He jokingly took Davey’s hand, “We’re the happily married gay couple that only wants the best for their babies.”

Everyone in the circle laughed as Davey sat up to look at Crutchie. See, not that he would tell anyone, but Davey had grown quite fond of Crutchie. And he was going to take full advantage of this.

He wrapped an arm around Crutchie, “Now darling, I know that the children aren’t listening to you, or me, but you need to understand that they’re growing up.”

Crutchie buried his head in Davey’s neck, “I just can’t stand to see my babies grow up,” He let out a fake sob, “They grow up so fast.”

“Ew, married people,” Katherine called from the ground.

Davey sighed, “Just because your marriage didn’t go well, doesn’t mean that you can take it out on us.”

Crutchie looked up at him, and this was when Davey officially lost his heart. He had random freckles covering his nose and cheeks, his blond hair was falling in his eyes, and his blue eyes looked up so lightly at him. And it suddenly occurred to Davey that their faces were inches away from each other.

“Davey…” Crutchie whispered, his free hand clinging to Davey’s shirt.

Davey never wanted this night to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahahahahahaha none of you are ready for what's coming.


	4. Renegades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katherine shook her head, "No," She clasped her abdomen, "Sarah Jacobs."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof
> 
>  
> 
> you're in for a ride

Their new place of living was actually rather comfy. They found an abandoned shack relatively close to civilization, but still considered “in the woods”. Unpacking was also easy. The hard part was moving in. The hard part was getting used to the walls around them.

Most people would never be able to get used to sleeping with so many people around them, but that’s what they had to do. The Runaways got used to a lot of things. One thing that they would never be able to get used to was Katherine.

They loved her dearly, they really did, that’s why they were on the run. They were always trying to steal things to help her, like they were doing earlier.

Katherine was always sick. They never truly knew why, but they just assumed that it had to do with her being pregnant. A risky thing to be while on the run, but they had no choice. Not to mention, Sarah and Katherine wanted their baby.

Sarah almost never went on heists with the others anymore. She stayed back and tried to do anything she could for her significant other. She loved her dearly, Davey knew. Everyone knew. 

You could usually hear them talking about baby names at night. Everyone had voted on their respective name, and Katherine and Sarah were deciding off of that list. They didn’t know that baby’s sex yet, so they had two different lists to choose from. However, at the end of the day, they all agreed to Starlight.

“Sarah,” Katherine called from her bed, “Do you know how far along I am? I’m so done with being pregnant.”

Sarah looked up from her makeshift desk, “You’re,” She looked at her dusty calendar, “You’re eight and a half months along, sweetheart.”

Everyone quietly went back to their own activities as Crutchie stood up, “We need more medical supplies.” Everyone looked up at him, “I just counted how much we have, and it’s not enough.”

Jack sighed from his shared cot, “Crutchie,” He sat up, “We’re trying. We really are, it's just…” He looked around the room, “I’m just going to say it. I feel like we’ve known this for a while, but we haven't wanted to talk about it. We are wanted by the police. This is far past us in college. This is real. Heck, have any of you been watching the news? Reading the papers? ‘The Runaways escape the police again.’ Every time we go out there, we risk a police visit. We can't keep moving from place to place. Especially with how close to labour Kath is.”

Crutchie stomped across the room, his jaw clench, “That's why we need supplies,” He grabbed Jack’s shirt, “So we can keep Kath, and her baby, from dying.”

Sarah was now on her feet, “Charlie Morris,” Her jaw clenched, water swimming in her eyes, “You take that the fuck back.”

“Sarah, you can't keep running from the truth. Look at yourself,” Crutchie gestured to her eyes, “You know it's true. You're just afraid of saying it.”

“I don't think you have the right to say that I’m afraid of anything.”

“Oh really?”

“I hear you every goddamn night,” Her voice slipped into a mocking tone, “‘Oh Davey, I can't face the fact that my leg is getting worse, and that we’re fighting.’”

Katherine stomped to her feet, “Sarah Jacobs.”

“Oh you know it's true,” She retorted.

Katherine shook her head, “No,” She clasped her abdomen, “Sarah Jacobs.”

Everyone's faces paled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> people calling Crutchie 'Charlie' in the heat of the moment is *claps hands* my *claps hands* kink *claps hands*


	5. Rose-Coloured Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack began banging his head on the counter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, listen, I know it's short, but I really want to get to the angst of the next chapter so...
> 
> also, I think that's it's realistic that we don't get that much relationship-building in the background. you'll have plenty of shippy-stuff in the future, so don't think that this is the only singular relationship chapter.
> 
> not to mention, this fic isn't exactly about the cutesy fluff. it's about the real-life angst that they would be going through if they were in this situation.
> 
> just bare with me.

The next part in Davey’s life certainly was an interesting one. Everyone in their friend group began dating each other. For example, Davey was with Crutchie, Sarah was with Katherine, Mush and Blink finally got together, Spot and Race began dating Albert and Elmer, Sniper finally worked up the nerve to ask Smalls out, and Romeo and Specs came to their senses.

This lead to the token few single people having to constantly deal with extremely cuddly movie nights. Davey often wondered how Jack, Henry, Jojo, and Buttons did it.

“So,” Race spoke from the crowded love seat from which the entity of spramler sat, “What will tonight’s movie be?”

Jack grimly lifted his head from behind the kitchen counter where he sat, “Please, I’m begging you, not another romance movie.”

“Oh, you’re just upset that you’re single,” Katherine tsked from Sarah’s lap.

“Speaking of single,” Blink inquired from his scrunched place on the couch, “Where’s your other token singles?”

“Probably making out somewhere,” Jack groaned.

“Oh my God,” Mush gasped from between Blink’s legs, “You’re the token single.”

Jack began banging his head on the counter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack Kelly; The Token Single


	6. Runs In The Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ¨Are you guys ready?¨ Davey questioned while taking Sarah´s hand.
> 
> Sarah lightly sighed before raising her voice in a whisper, ¨As I´ll ever be.¨

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can confirm that this chapter took the most time to write & honestly that says a lot.
> 
> I´m currently writing this from a school computer, so, pray for me.

Everything was silent. The only thing heard was Crutchie’s crutch falling on the floor and him collapsing into Jack. 

Davey felt his breath catch in his throat. 

This was it. This was the moment that all of them had been waiting for. If any of them were ready was another question.

“Kath,” Sarah spoke breathlessly, “Are you sure?”

She nodded.

Everything in Davey’s head was racing. Was he ready to be an uncle? What would the baby look like? Were his genetics efficient in creating a baby? Was Sarah ready to be a mother? Was Katherine? And the worse one rushed into his head.

What if the baby doesn’t make it?

“What did I tell you?” Crutchie’s voice was weak as he reached down to get his crutch.

Sarah was crying. “Charlie, I’m sorry, I wasn’t--”

“I know.”

“No, I,” She paused, her voice cracking, “I was wrong to say anything about Davey, or, or, your leg, or--”

“Sarah, you’re rambling.”

“Of course I’m rambling,” She ran her hands through her hair, “I’m going to be a mother. Oh my God, I’m going to be a mother.”

Sarah began pacing the room as Katherine slowly walked (the proper word was waddle, but sh) over to her. She placed her hands on Sarah’s shoulders, and place a chaste kiss to her forehead.

“Everything will be okay,” Katherine whispered to Sarah, “Trust me.”

Sarah nodded, “Crutchie,” He perked up at his name, “What medical supplies do we have?”

Crutchie looked at her, his face scrunched in anguish, “Nothing good enough, here.” 

Crutchie handed her the black duffle bag that contained the bare minimum of supplies that they had. Sarah quickly examined the contains of the bag, giving away how much was in it, and looked up with a look of calamity on her face.

“Okay, well,” She stared off for a second before speaking again with urgency, “We need to get Katherine to a hospital.”

“Sarah,” Jack sighed, his face scrunched in frustration, “We are wanted by the police, we can’t just--”

“We need to,” Sarah had a hard, brazen look to her face, “I will not let anything happen to my baby.”

Katherine took her hand, “I won’t either.”

Jack sighed, “Well then,” He grabbed the car keys, “We better get going then.”

And just like that, for the second time that day, The Runaways piled into the old black pick-up truck, and set off for the nearest hospital they knew. However, this time their spirits were changed. They had hope. There were no angry arguments, or sitting with aloofness in their face. There was only determination set in their brows. For the first time since they started down this road, that they were full of happiness and hope.

The sky had mixtures of orange and blue, storm clouds forming in patches. It was almost poetic how there was going to be a storm on what would most likely be the last day of their lives. But none of that mattered now. The only thing that truly mattered was giving Starlight the happiest life they deserved.

¨Are you guys ready?¨ Davey questioned while taking Sarah´s hand.

Sarah lightly sighed before raising her voice in a whisper, ¨As I´ll ever be.¨

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter till the Mega Angst.
> 
> Prepare yourselves.


	7. Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And just like that the atmosphere changed drastically from hopeful to full of gloom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sadly, this isn't a backstory chapter. 
> 
> i desperately tried to write the backstory, but the words weren't flowing.
> 
> so, i wrote the Mega Angst chapter bc that definitely was flowing.
> 
> (btw this is also the longest chapter)

“We need a doctor,” Sarah shouted, bursting through the hospital doors.

The people in the hospital all looking up from their respective activities in panic. Recollection spread across the faces of half of them. They know who they are.

“She’s from that gang,” A woman in the corner gasped while frantically hitting her chair.

Sarah shot her a look before turning back to the receptionist, “Please, my significant other is in labour.”

The receptionist nodded frantically, gesturing desperately for a nurse, “Of course, ma’am.”

Jack and Davey burst through the doors, Katherine leaning on both of them in the same way that Crutchie did when he lost his crutch. They carefully lead her to the nearest chair before being stopped by the nurse that the receptionist called over. She gently took Katherine in her arms, and walked her behind a set of door, Sarah following frantically behind.

Jack sighed, flopping in the nearest chair before he realised that the woman who noticed them was on her phone, “Davey,” He slowly whispered, his eyes wide, “We need to get out of here.”

“But Sarah--”

“Davey,” Jack was trying very hard to keep his composure, “That woman over there is on her phone.”

Davey’s eyes widened before whispering, “Okay.”

They quickly both gathered in front of the receptionist. Jack left an ineligible note that he had written seconds ago for her to give to Sarah and Katherine, and they left. 

“Where are Sarah and Katherine?” Crutchie desperately inquired from the backseat.

Jack opened the door to the driver's seat, sat down and took a deep breath, “A woman in there recognized us.”

And just like that the atmosphere changed drastically from hopeful to full of gloom. 

“Jack,” Crutchie tried hopelessly to keep his composure, “She didn’t,” He took a deep breath, “She, she didnt,” Crutchie’s voice cracked, “She didn’t call the police, did she?”

Jack slowly nodded, and any chance of continuing a halcyonic atmosphere was destroyed. 

Spot took Race’s hand, “We need to get out of here,” He spoke cautiously, “We need find some place, far, far away from here.”

“But,” Crutchie sobbed, “But, bu, Sarah is in there. Katherine is in there,” He took a deep, shaky breath before speaking again, “Starlight is in there.”

“We know,” Davey snapped, his pain evident from his tone of voice, “I know that my sister, my sister-in-law, and my niece are in there.”

“Davey--”

“Stop,” His voice cracked, and he dropped it to a whisper, “Stop calling me Davey.”

Crutchie’s eyes were wide, “David,” He attempted to calm his breathing, “David, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s just, I, I’m sorry.”

“Guys,” Jack slowly gestured to the police cars that were slowly driving into the parking lot, “We need to go.”

Everyone quickly unbuckled their seatbelts, knowing that there was no possible way that they would escape this parking lot in their car. They quietly ran towards the back of the hospital, swiftly running into the woods.

“Over there,” An officer shouted across the otherwise silent lot, “They’re going into the woods!”

They ran jaggedly in a big clustered group. The only thing heard was the sound of feet hitting asfalt, the rubber of their shoes scraping against the hard, black ground. No heads looked back as they made their escape.

Until two of them fell behind.

Elmer’s foot landed incorrectly. He let out a shout of pain. Albert fell back to help carry him. The police were now on their tails. Panic surged through their brains, adrenaline kicking in. It wasn’t enough. They were soon caught, their run pointless.

Racetrack Higgins was a man of daring. He was charismatic, and loved danger. However, he was not a man who was about to let two of his boyfriends be caught by the police.

He ran back. He tried to save them.

Bang.

That was the only sound heard heard in the empty lot.

Then a body fell to the ground.

Race.

That’s illegal, Davey thought desperately, they can’t kill him. They didn’t kill him.

The police backed off. They had Elmer and Albert in their custody, and they shot Race. The damage was done.

Spot raced to his side.

“Race,” He cried, “Race, Race, you’re okay. Right? You’re okay.”

“Spot.”

“No, you’re okay,” He took a shaky breath, “Okay, maybe they took Albert and Elmer, but we’ll get them back. We will, trust me.”

“Spot, no.”

“No,” Spot shook his head, tears falling down his face, “You’ll be fine, and we’ll get through this. We can escape the police, we can live a normal life, Race, we can adopt the baby we’ve always wanted, we can do that.”

“Spot, listen.”

“Albert and Elmer will come back, and we’ll live in one of those pretty houses. We can get a cute little dog, and we, we can,” He sobbed again and attempted to wipe his, and got blood on this face, “Race please.”

“Listen. Please.”

“I’m listening, okay? I’m here.”

Race raised a shaky hand to Spot’s face, “I love you.”

Spot let out another sob, “I love you too,” Race’s arm fell, “Don’t leave me. You, you can’t leave me.”

“Spot,” Jack shouted, “We need to go.”

Spot shook his head, “I’m not leaving.”

“Spot, I won’t have another person die on me.” Jack spoke while running back and forcefully dragging Spot away from Race’s limp body.

Nobody spoke much while they walked back to their cabin. It was almost like they couldn’t speak. It felt that if they spoke that they would be dishonouring Race’s memory.

Not once were they chased by the police on their way back. Davey figured it was because that they illegally shot Race.

Once they returned to their cabin, Spot raced for their just-in-case weapons. He grabbed the first gun that he could find, and he ran back out with Davey and Crutchie following him.

“Spot,” Crutchie spoke cautiously, “What are you doing?”

Spot quickly flipped the gun towards his head, and flicked off the safety, “I can't do this shit anymore.”

“Shit,” Davey ran his hands through his hair, “Spot, no.”

He shook his head, “I don't want this anymore. Haven't either of you realised?! This life is hard, and stupid, and I will never live a normal life. Ever. This shit keeps me up at night,” He ran his hand through his hair, the hand holding the gun shaking, “And I thought, maybe I could get through this,” He was pacing now, “I thought, that if I had Race, and if I had Albert, and if I had Elmer, maybe I could through this. And then this shit happens, and I think, fuck,” He looked back at them, and they realised he was crying, “I have no one to fall back on. I have no one to stop me from doing this shit,” He gestured to the gun, “So what’s the goddamn point?”

Crutchie attempted to get closer to him, to do something, but Spot backed up.

Crutchie took a shaky breath, “Christ,” He shook his head, “Spot, I know you’re grieving. I am too, and it’s normal to feel like this. But I know, and I can tell you know it too, that Race would want you to live. Albert and Elmer would want you to live. So, please.”

Spot nodded, took a deep breath, put the gun on safety, and threw it to the ground.

Crutchie sobbed, and threw his arms around Spot. His crutch fell to the ground, and they collapsed with it.

For now, everything was okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mega oof

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed!!
> 
> as always, kudos and comments are appreciated.
> 
> however, not required.
> 
> i hope you have an amazing day!


End file.
